Vietnam is one of the most promising markets in Asia, but selling here works differently than in the West. The brands that succeed follow a clear set of moves suited to a young, mobile-first, social-shopping market. Whether you sell products or services, these are the approaches that consistently work. Here are the five best ways to sell in Vietnam.
The Vietnam selling backdrop (2025-2026)
- 85.6 million internet users, mobile-first and social.
- E-commerce hit about $28 billion in 2025, up 25%.
- Most buyers are young Gen Z and Millennials.
- Facebook, TikTok, Zalo and live selling drive discovery and sales.
The 5 best ways to sell in Vietnam
1. Sell through social and live commerce
Vietnamese buy through Facebook, TikTok, Zalo and live streams, often chatting with the seller before they pay. Build your presence and selling on these platforms, and use live selling to show products and close orders in real time. This is where a huge share of sales now happens.
2. Open the right marketplaces
Shopee and TikTok Shop dominate Vietnamese e-commerce. Open stores on the ones that fit your product, optimize your listings, and run promotions around sale dates. Marketplaces bring their own traffic and handle payment and logistics, so they are a fast way to start.
3. Localize and work with creators
Content in natural Vietnamese, with local humor and trends, far outperforms translated campaigns. Partner with creators who fit your brand and use affiliate links so they earn from sales. Vietnamese buyers trust creators over brands, so this is a core sales channel.
4. Make buying mobile-first and easy
Most Vietnamese shop on a phone, so your store, images and checkout must be flawless on mobile. Offer the payment options people use, including wallets and cash on delivery, and keep ordering simple. Every extra step loses a sale.
5. Work with a local partner
For distribution, regulation and market nuance, a local partner or agency saves time and avoids costly mistakes. They open doors, handle the paperwork, and help you move at the market’s speed. Few foreign brands succeed here entirely alone.
Where plans come apart
- Website-first thinking. Vietnamese buy through social, live and marketplaces.
- Translating instead of localizing. Local voice and creators win.
- Weak mobile experience. Slow, clunky checkout loses mobile-first buyers.
- Limited payment options. Offer wallets and cash on delivery.
- Going it alone. A local partner avoids slow, costly mistakes.
The part that matters for your plan
The best ways to sell in Vietnam are social and live commerce, the right marketplaces, localization with creators, mobile-first easy checkout, and a local partner. Do these five and you are set up to win. For background, see the economy of Vietnam and the yearly Digital 2025 Vietnam report.
Two more pages worth your time: our social media strategies for international brands and the latest consumer trends in Vietnam.
What costs brands money here
What is the best way to sell in Vietnam?
Through social and live commerce on Facebook, TikTok and Zalo, backed by marketplaces like Shopee and TikTok Shop. Localized content and creators drive discovery, and a mobile-first, easy checkout closes the sale.
Do I need marketplaces or my own website?
Marketplaces are the faster start, bringing their own traffic and handling payment and logistics. You can add your own channels later, but Vietnamese mostly buy through social, live and marketplaces.
How important are creators?
Very. Vietnamese buyers trust creators over brands, and creators drive direct sales through affiliate links and live selling. Working with the right ones is a core sales channel.
Do I need a local partner to sell in Vietnam?
For distribution, regulation and market nuance, yes in most cases. A local partner or agency opens doors, handles paperwork, and helps you move at the market’s speed.
Our side of it
At GMA, we help foreign brands sell in Vietnam. Our team builds social and live selling, runs your marketplace stores, localizes content and creator campaigns, and connects you with distribution partners. If you want to sell successfully in Vietnam, tell us about your project and we will map the first steps with you.
GMA (Gentlemen Marketing Agency) is a French agency based in Shanghai. More than 75 specialists work here. We take foreign brands from first research to first repeat order. We cover Greater China and Southeast Asia from one team.